To determine how testing protocols for COVID-19 vary across the United States, we sent requests under public records laws to all 50 states, New York City, and Washington, D.C. The requests were sent to health departments the week of March 16 and were identical. The database below contains responses we have received, as well as publicly available guidance from some jurisdictions.
We categorized the responses by the most common ways states chose to prioritize testing. Many states note specific symptomatic requirements, like fever and respiratory problems. Occupation is also mentioned in many guidance documents, with priority often given to health care workers and first responders. Several states also prioritize certain vulnerable populations for testing, such as the elderly and residents of prisons and homeless shelters. Links to the complete documents are included in the tables and also available on DocumentCloud.
The documents largely provide insight into government-operated testing. Privately run testing entities aren’t necessarily bound by the same criteria.
Guidance for testing has been shifting as the coronavirus spreads. As more people are infected, and available testing resources evolve, states have and may continue to alter their guidance. This information is complete as of June 18, 2020. We will continue updating our data as we receive responses to our requests.
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Alaska
Hospitalized Patients
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Group Living Setting
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Health Care Workers
Symptoms
or
State Testing
First Responders
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Symptoms
or
State Testing
History of Travel Within 14 Days of Onset
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Patients 60 Years or Older
Symptoms
or
Commercial Testing
Patients with Underlying Health Conditions
Symptoms
or
Commercial Testing
Clinical Discretion
Symptoms
or
Commercial Testing
Arkansas
History of Travel Within 14 Days of Onset
Symptoms
or
Unspecified Outcome
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Symptoms
or
Unspecified Outcome
Georgia
Health Care Workers
State Testing
First Responders
State Testing
Group Living Setting
State Testing
Idaho
Hospitalized Patients
Acute
or
State Testing
Illinois
Group Living Setting
Cluster
or
State Testing
Hospitalized Patients
Pneumonia
or
State Testing
Iowa
Hospitalized Patients
Illness
or
State Testing
Patients 60 Years or Older
Patients with Chronic Health Conditions
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Group Living Setting
Illness
or
State Testing
Essential Workers
Illness
or
State Testing
Health Care Workers
Illness
or
State Testing
First Responders
Illness
or
State Testing
Children in Child Care Homes or Centers
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Staff in Child Care Homes or Centers
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
State Testing
Confirmed COVID Case
>7 Days Post Symptom Onset
State Antibody Testing
Potential Convalescent Plasma Donors
State Antibody Testing
Essential Workers
Knowlege of Antibody Production Needed
State Antibody Testing
Health Care Workers
Knowlege of Antibody Production Needed
State Antibody Testing
First Responders
Knowlege of Antibody Production Needed
State Antibody Testing
Kentucky
Hospitalized Patients
Testing
Health Care Workers
Symptoms
or
Testing
Group Living Setting
Symptoms
or
Testing
Patients 60 Years or Older
Symptoms
or
Testing
Patients with Underlying Health Conditions
Symptoms
or
Testing
First Responders
Symptoms
or
Testing
Essential Workers
Symptoms
or
Testing
Anyone
Symptoms
or
Testing
Health Care Workers
Testing
Group Living Setting
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Testing
Cluster Exposure
Symptoms
or
Testing
Louisiana
Hospitalized Patients
Severe
or
State Testing
Suspected Clusters
Symptoms
and
State Testing
Health Care Workers
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Symptoms
and
State Testing
Group Living Setting
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Homeless Patients
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Maryland
Hospitalized Patients
Symptoms
or
Hospital or Commercial or State Testing
Group Living Setting
Symptoms
or
Hospital or Commercial or State Testing
Health Care Workers
Symptoms
or
Hospital or Commercial or State Testing
First Responders
Symptoms
or
Hospital or Commercial or State Testing
Correctional Officers
Symptoms
or
Hospital or Commercial or State Testing
Patients with Underlying Health Conditions
Symptoms
or
Hospital or Commercial or State Testing
Cluster Exposure
Hospital or Commercial or State Testing
Prioritized by Maryland Department of Health
and
Hospital or Commercial or State Testing
Massachusetts
Health Care Workers
Symptoms
or
State Testing
First Responders
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Group Living Setting
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Hospitalized Patients
Acute
and
State Testing
Older Individuals
Mild to Moderate
or
Commercial Testing
Patients with Underlying Health Conditions
Mild to Moderate
or
Commercial Testing
Essential Workers
Symptoms
or
Commercial Testing
Cluster Exposure
Symptoms
and
Commercial Testing
Michigan
Health Care Workers
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Acute
Testing
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Acute
Testing
History of Travel Within 14 Days of Onset
Acute
Testing
Hospitalized Patients
or
State Testing
Health Care Workers
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Group Living Setting
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Patients 65 Years or Older
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Patients with Underlying Health Conditions
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Missouri
Hospitalized Patients
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Group Living Setting
Patients 65 Years or Older
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Patients with Underlying Health Conditions
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Health Care Workers
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Nebraska
Hospitalized Patients
Respiratory Infection
State Testing
Close Contact with Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Travel to Areas Where COVID-19 Is Endemic
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Symptomatic Individuals
Symptoms
and
State Testing
Meatpacking Workers
State Testing
Nevada
Hospitalized Patients
Severe
or
State Testing
Health Care Workers
State Testing
Group Living Setting
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Cluster Exposure
Symptoms
or
State Testing
First Responders
State Testing
New Jersey
Hospitalized Patients
Symptoms
and
State Testing
Health Care Workers
Symptoms
and
State Testing
Group Living Setting
Symptoms
and
State Testing
Cluster Exposure
Symptoms
or
State Testing
New York
Symptomatic Individuals
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Hospitalized Patients
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Group Living Setting
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Patients with Underlying Health Conditions
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Patients 70 Years or Older
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Patients with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome
Under the age of 21
State Testing
Patients Requiring Medical Care
State Testing
Close Contact with Confirmed COVID-19 Case
State Testing
Individuals in Quarantine
State Testing
Health Care Workers
State Testing
First Responders
State Testing
Congregate Care Workers
State Testing
Essential Workers
State Testing
Cases Approved by Department of Health
State Testing
North Carolina
Hospitalized Patients
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Health Care Workers
Symptoms
or
State Testing
First Responders
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Group Living Setting
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Patients with Underlying Health Conditions
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Patients 65 Years or Older
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Tested at a U.S. Outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network Participant Site
State Testing
Ohio
Hospitalized Patients
Symptoms
or
Hospital Testing
Health Care Workers
Symptoms
or
Hospital Testing
Older Individuals
Mild to Moderate Symptoms
or
Hospital Testing
Patients with Underlying Health Conditions
Mild to Moderate Symptoms
or
Hospital Testing
Health Care Workers
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Symptoms
and
State Testing
Group Living Setting
Hospitalized Patients
Symptoms
and
State Testing
Hospitalized Patients
Severe
and
State Testing
Cluster Exposure
State Testing
Oklahoma
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Symptoms
or
State Testing
History of Travel Within 14 Days of Onset
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Oregon
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Acute
or
Commercial Testing
History of Travel Within 14 Days of Onset
Acute
or
Commercial Testing
Group Living Setting
Acute
or
Commercial Testing
Health Care Workers
Acute
or
Commercial Testing
Hospitalized Patients
Viral Lower Respiratory Infection
and
State Testing
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Symptoms
or
State Testing
History of Travel Within 14 Days of Onset
Symptoms
and
State Testing
Hospitalized Patients
Severe
and
State Testing
Rhode Island
Hospitalized Patients
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Health Care Workers
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Group Living Setting
Symptoms
or
State Testing
First Responders
Symptoms
or
State Testing
History of Travel Within 14 Days of Onset
Symptoms
or
Hospital or Commercial Testing
Patients with Underlying Health Conditions
Symptoms
or
Hospital or Commercial Testing
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Symptoms
or
Hospital or Commercial Testing
Cluster Exposure
Symptoms
or
Hospital or Commercial Testing
South Carolina
Hospitalized Patients
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Health Care Workers
Symptoms
or
State Testing
First Responders
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Group Living Setting
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Patients 65 Years or Older
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Patients with Underlying Health Conditions
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Group Living Setting
Essential Workers
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Essential Workers
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Texas
Health Care Workers
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Symptoms
or
State Testing
History of Travel Within 14 Days of Onset
Symptoms
and
State Testing
Patients 65 Years or Older
Symptoms
and
State Testing
Patients with Underlying Health Conditions
Symptoms
and
State Testing
Hospitalized Patients
Symptoms
and
State Testing
Utah
Health Care Workers
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Symptoms
or
State Testing
History of Travel Within 14 Days of Onset
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Anyone
Severe
and
State Testing
Hospitalized Patients
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Patients 65 Years or Older
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Group Living Setting
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Patients with Underlying Health Conditions
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Vermont
Hospitalized Patients
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Patients 65 Years or Older
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Patients with Underlying Health Conditions
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Health Care Workers
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Symptoms
or
State Testing
History of Travel Within 14 Days of Onset
Symptoms
or
State Testing
Washington, D.C.
Health Care Workers
Symptoms
or
D.C. Public Health Testing
Health Care Workers
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
D.C. Public Health Testing
Patients 65 Years or Older
Symptoms
or
D.C. Public Health Testing
Patients 65 Years or Older
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
D.C. Public Health Testing
Patients with Underlying Health Conditions
Symptoms
or
D.C. Public Health Testing
Patients with Underlying Health Conditions
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
D.C. Public Health Testing
Mandated by Healthcare Provider
D.C. Public Health Testing
First Responders
Symptoms
or
D.C. Public Health Testing
First Responders
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
D.C. Public Health Testing
Essential Workers
Symptoms
or
D.C. Public Health Testing
Essential Workers
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
D.C. Public Health Testing
Residents
Symptoms
or
D.C. Public Health Testing
Health Care Workers
D.C. Public Health Testing
First Responders
D.C. Public Health Testing
Wisconsin
Hospitalized Patients
Viral Pneumonia
or
State or Local Testing
Hospitalized Patients
Close Contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 Case
Symptoms
or
State or Local Testing
Hospitalized Patients
History of Travel Within 14 Days of Onset
Symptoms
or
State or Local Testing
Group Living Setting
Symptoms
and
State or Local Testing
Hospitalized Patients
Symptoms
and
State or Local Testing
Health Care Workers
Symptoms
and
State or Local Testing
